1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward an apparatus for managing cables, wires, cords, and the like, and more particularly, to a cable clip for organizing and routing cables and wires in various directions.
2. Description of Related Art
The tangling and disarray of cords and wires associated with computers, appliances, and other machines is all too common. Anyone who has tried to set up a computer and all accessories knows that separating the wires is a burdensome task. Once they are detangled, maintaining order is also challenging. Similarly, the wires attached to other devices, such as cellular phones, rechargers, PDA's, etc. are also difficult to manage. Inherent in the organization and management of wires, is the need to route them in a desired direction or path.
There are many products available that assist in organizing, managing and routing wires. These products vary in form and composition. The simplest cord organizer is the widely used nylon wire tie, having a head and a pawl that loops around the wires. A general-purpose nylon wire tie can group wires together and when used in conjunction with an adhesive backed mounting base, it can be used to anchor wires to a flat surface. However, a typical general-purpose nylon wire tie cannot be reused, because the head is self-locking and once the pawl is inserted into the head it is locked in and is cut off in order to remove the wire tie. A releasable cable tie has interlocking teeth along its pawl and is adjusted by depressing a tab connected to the head. The releasable cable tie can be reused, however, it is generally not compatible with an adhesive backed mounting base and thus cannot anchor wires to a flat surface.
Cord clips are another commercially available product used for organizing cables. Generally, cord clips have an adhesive backed base and a retaining arm designed to hold cords. The use of a cord clip is advantageous over a releasable cable tie, in that the cord clip can attach cords to a flat surface in addition to organizing them. Additionally, cord clips that have thicker retaining arms are advantageous over general-purpose ties, as they partially cover the cords, thus allowing for slightly more stable positioning. However, cord clips are often very small and flimsy, and cannot hold large cords or cables. Also, cord clips are difficult to handle, in that the rounded retaining arm of the clip is made of rigid plastic and a has a small range of motion. This rigid structure can only be raised a rather limited amount and the cables inserted in the clip invariably are smaller in diameter than that of the clip. A cable that is slightly larger than the cord clip would have to be forced in to the clip, likely resulting in damage to the cable or breaking of the cord clip.
Known cord organizers have mountable bases with hooks or channels that allow for turning and looping cords. For example, one known organizer has multiple swivel hooks aligned along the top and bottom of the base that allow for the cords to be wrapped around them, but has at least two drawbacks. Firstly, each hook extends straight up or down. Because they do not curve around the cord, they fail to encase the cord. If a long cord is not wrapped around the hooks tightly or if it is tugged at and the tension is released, the cord will easily unwind and will tangle. Secondly, these swivel hooks can become loosened over time and break off, once again, causing the cord to unwind. The organizer is generally very bulky and is intended to be used in clinical settings for medical machine cords. It is not intended to route wires.
Another known cord organizer has a base with channels and posts designed to receive cables and loop them along the base. This product makes it possible to run wires in parallel channels along the base plate. However, the channels and posts are rigid in their design and are thus too limiting in terms of the cables they can hold. Moreover, this product does not route cables. Instead, the channels that extend from the base are designed to have the cables pass through them and loop around the posts in order to organize the cables.
Thus, the various cord organizers described above fail to route cables, wires, and cords at a desired angle. Further, because these cord organizers are designed merely to bunch wires together, they fail in directing a wire in a particular path. Although multiple products can potentially be used in conjunction with each other to direct a wire or cord at a particular angle, this is far too cumbersome and aesthetically unpleasant.
For each of the foregoing reasons, a need exists for a product that provides for convenient organization and management of cables, wires, and cords and is designed to manage cables of varying sizes securely, allowing for stable grounded routing in a desired angle, without damaging them.